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Asian elephant vision: the science and the numbers

Elephas maximus · order Proboscidea · Mammals: all the numbers

The Asian elephant has 2 colour receptor classes (419 and 552 nm): mainly blues and yellows; reds and greens look alike.[1] Both eyes see the same 80° in front of it.[8]

See it on your photoBack to How does the Asian elephant see?
  • 2colour receptor classesMeasured
  • 80°seen by both eyesMeasured

The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is a mammal in the order Proboscidea. Its eyes belong to the vision type Grazing ungulate panorama: two cone types, a horizontal band of sharp vision and a near-panoramic field with a blind area behind the head. Measured in this species: colour, field of view and night vision. Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the Asian elephant sees: colour receptors

Asian elephant colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmAsian elephant: 2 receptor peaks at 419, 552 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Asian elephant: 419, 552 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has two colour receptor classes (a dichromat): reds and greens fall on one axis, as in red-green colour blindness in people.
  • Both eyes see the same 80° in front of it (binocular overlap), where depth is judged best.
  • Activity pattern: cathemeral.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
2 receptor classes: 419 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 552 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured[1]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[1][2][3][4]
SharpnessAcuity
8.63 cycles per degree
median of 1 relatives in family Elephantidae: Loxodonta africana
Estimated[5][6]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[7][6]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
80°
median of 1 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[8]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[9][8]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[10]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[10]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[9][8]
Total field of view
350°
group default: median total field of vision type the "Grazing ungulate panorama" type within phylum Chordata in species-v1: Equus caballus
Group default[11]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
0
median of 1 relatives in family Elephantidae: Loxodonta africana
Estimated[12]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[12]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[12]
Fovea type
anakatabatic area, area centralis, horizontal streak		Estimated[12]
Night visionActivity pattern
cathemeral
mode of 9 rows (of 10 rows): cathemeral; crepuscular; diurnal; mixed (nocturnal/crepuscular, cathemeral, crepuscular or diurnal/crepuscular); nocturnal; photopic
Measured (not re-verified)[13][14][15][16][1][17][18][19][20]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[13][15][16][1][17][18][19][20]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[14][21]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[22]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[13][15][16][1][17][18][19][20]
Rods vs cones
mixed
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[13][14][15][16][1][17][18][19][20]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
60 Hz
median of 21 relatives in class Mammalia: Rattus norvegicus, Cavia porcellus, Mus musculus, Felis catus, Macaca mulatta, Macaca nemestrina
Group default[23][24][25][26]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[24][25]

All mammals side by side: Mammals: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Longcore 2023
  2. Kirwan
  3. Müller et al. 2009
  4. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  5. Kirk et al. 2004
  6. Veilleux et al. 2014
  7. Kirk et al. 2004
  8. Heffner et al. 1992
  9. Heesy 2004
  10. Campbell & Green 1965
  11. Timney & Keil 1992
  12. Kopania et al. 2025
  13. Anderson et al. 2017
  14. Banks et al. 2015
  15. Borges et al. 2018
  16. Wilman et al. 2014
  17. Maor et al. 2017
  18. Jones et al. 2009
  19. Schmitz et al. 2011
  20. Moura et al. 2024
  21. Cervino et al. 2021
  22. Guareschi et al. 2025
  23. Haarlem et al. 2026
  24. Healy et al. 2013
  25. Inger et al. 2014
  26. Lafitte et al. 2022

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.